The present invention relates to a new an improved method of securing tissue against movement relative to a portion of a bone in a patient""s body.
Various tissue fixation systems have previously been utilized to hold portions of body tissue against movement relative to each other. When tissue is secured against movement relative to a portion of a bone, it is necessary to interconnect the bone and the tissue. In this situation, it has been a common practice to drill a hole which extends into or through the bone. A retaining member such as a pin, screw or suture anchor is positioned in the hole after it has been drilled in the bone. The concept of utilizing a retainer member formed of bone to anchor a suture is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,612.
The present invention relates to a new and improved method of securing tissue against movement relative to a portion of a bone in a patient""s body. The method includes positioning a retainer member formed of bone in the portion of the bone in the patient""s body and connecting the retainer member with the tissue to be secured. The step of positioning the retainer member formed of bone in the patient""s body may include utilizing the retainer member to form an opening in a compact outer layer of the portion of the bone in the patient""s body.
When the retainer member formed of bone is used to form an opening in the portion of the bone in the patient""s body, the retainer member may advantageously be at least partially enclosed in a tubular member. Force may be applied against a trailing end portion of the retainer member formed of bone to force a leading end portion of retainer member into the portion of the bone in the patient""s body. Movement of the retainer member into the portion of the bone in the patient""s body may advantageously be interrupted when the leading end portion of the retainer member has moved to a predetermined depth in the bone in the patient""s body.
The retainer member formed of bone may extend through and/or tension body tissue which is to be connected with the bone in the patient""s body by the retainer member. The retainer member formed of bone may have a head end portion which engages body tissue. Alternatively, the retainer member formed of bone may be utilized to anchor a suture which is connected with body tissue. The retainer member formed of bone may be positioned in a bone in the patient""s body so as to extend across a fracture and hold the portions of the bone on opposite sides of the fracture against movement relative to each other.
A retainer member, which may or may not be formed of bone, is utilized to immobilize a joint by having the retainer member extend between bones at the joint. If it is subsequently desired to release the joint for movement, the retainer member may be broken.